PRESS PICKS (Week 3): AP voting takes another step in the wrong direction
STAFF REPORT
Introducing Haley Sawyer, the newest member of the clan known as Associated Press voters for college football.
She’s a writer for the Southern California News Group, aka Los Angeles Daily News, covering UCLA, Southern Cal and local high school sports. Her bio mentions she is a “California transplant,” originally from Pennsylvania. She also teaches Journalism at Cal-State Northridge.
Sawyer, age not provided, set the media world on fire earlier this week when she turned in her AP ballot that, in the eyes of 99 percent of football fans and those who cover the sport, didn’t make much sense. It centered on her negligence to include South Florida in her vote and, moving the team the Bulls had defeated up two spots. That would be Florida.
Sawyer became an Internet abomination when she was interviewed and asked to provide her reasons behind the vote.
Her statement on the matter…
“You know, a ton of people vote on the AP poll. And like, it’s not a perfect system. But at the end of the day, like, no matter who you pick, it does even out because of so many people who vote. Like I said, it’s really fun for discussion, it doesn’t, you know, probably matter in the end but I’m glad that people are having a really good time with it.”
The statement can be (and has been) taken so many ways. Many have gotten personal and called the young woman names. Others question her intelligence. It’s really sad what we’ve done with the Internet, so mean, so outrageous, so demeaning.
Sarcasm alert…
There is no argument for her decision. And in this five-minute interlude with an unknown interviewer, she never gives a reason why she voted like she did.
But, she has a right to vote however she wants. No logic is necessary, which can be said about a lot of voters in this and other polls.
In her case, Sawyer doesn’t show any bias, at least that we know of. She could have recently spent a weekend in Tampa (home of the Bulls) and had beer poured on her head but who knows?
The good news from all of this - the AP method has been exposed. Those in charge found someone who is as flippant about their voting responsibility as a police officer in Chicago literally whistling past the graveyard. “If I don’t know, I don’t have to answer for it.”
The simple question is how did someone who is so out of touch with the subject matter she gets paid to cover be given the responsibility that has been an honor for so many for a long time?
Any defamation should be directed at AP. Who’s in charge here? What vetting process allowed this person to become a laughing stock of the college football world (and does she even realize it)?
Questions about who the news service selects as voters has been questioned for many years. Several of those who have been chosen in the past, have used the opportunity to make statements, whether political or otherwise. Others have shown what is believed to be a regional bias which goes back to the days of the fight for Civil Rights in the 1950s and 60s.
The good news - this poll is nothing more than a conversation piece. It (should) have no bearing on the playoff polls which come out later this season.
The good news for Sawyer is she will be on the radar of everyone just to watch her vote each week. There will be contests guessing who’s next on her ballot - 0-2 San Jose St? East Texas A&M (yeah, that is confusing even for California transplants)? Her alma mater, Robert Morris?
Chances are she will get a talk show out of this, maybe on ESPN, who seems to enjoy rewarding controversial subject matter and to those who speak it (see Paul Finebaum). She might get her own line of clothing, the kind with loose stitching… you know, “it really doesn’t matter,” which could be the brand name.
We could go on about this, but we’ve still got to save time to chastise the Phillies woman who likes to rob children of foul balls and flip off those who object to her actions.
Yeah, it’s a great time to be a sports fan.
2025 Standings (Last week)
1. Michael Butler 34-11 (11-4).755
2. Tim Gayle 33-12 (11-4) .733
3. Doug Amos 32-13 (10-5) .711
4. Wesley Lyle 31-14 (9-6) .689
Graham Dunn 31-14 (10-5) .689
Rick Hendrick 31-14 (11-4) .689
Barry McKnight 31-14 (11-4) .689
8. Mike Peacock 30-15 (9-6) .667
9. Rosie Langello 25-20 (10-5) .555
10. Lindsey Bonner 24-21 (8-7) .533
Michael Butler (WTLS 101.1&94.7 FM/1300 AM/Tallassee Times)
34-11 (11-4).755
Smiths Station at Carver - Carver
Pike Road at Wetumpka - Pike Road
BT Washington at Tallassee - Tallassee
Trinity at Alabama Christian - Trinity
Elmore County at Holtville - Elmore County
Wisconsin at Alabama - Alabama
South Alabama at Auburn - Auburn
Memphis at Troy - Memphis
Georgia at Tennessee - Georgia
Florida at LSU - LSU
Texas A&M at Notre Dame - Notre Dame
Vanderbilt at South Carolina - South Carolina
Arkansas at Ole Miss - Ole Miss
South Florida at Miami - Miami
Clemson at Ga Tech - Ga Tech
Tim Gayle (River Region Sports/Montgomery Independent)
33-12 (11-4) .733
Smiths Station at Carver - Carver
Pike Road at Wetumpka - Pike Road
BT Washington at Tallassee - Tallassee
Trinity at Alabama Christian - Trinity
Elmore County at Holtville - Elmore County
Wisconsin at Alabama - Alabama
South Alabama at Auburn - Auburn
Memphis at Troy - Troy
Georgia at Tennessee - Georgia
Florida at LSU - LSU
Texas A&M at Notre Dame - Texas A&M
Vanderbilt at South Carolina - Vanderbilt
Arkansas at Ole Miss - Ole Miss
South Florida at Miami - South Florida
Clemson at Ga Tech - Clemson
Doug Amos (ESPN The Ticket)
32-13 (10-5) .711
Smiths Station at Carver - Carver
Pike Road at Wetumpka - Pike Road
BT Washington at Tallassee - Tallassee
Trinity at Alabama Christian - ACA
Elmore County at Holtville - Holtville
Wisconsin at Alabama - Alabama
South Alabama at Auburn - Auburn
Memphis at Troy - Troy
Georgia at Tennessee - Georgia
Florida at LSU - LSU
Texas A&M at Notre Dame - Notre Dame
Vanderbilt at South Carolina - South Carolina
Arkansas at Ole Miss - Ole Miss
South Florida at Miami - Miami
Clemson at Ga Tech - Clemson
Wesley Lyle (River Region Sports & al.com)
31-14 (9-6) .689
Smiths Station at Carver - Carver
Pike Road at Wetumpka - Pike Road
BT Washington at Tallassee - Tallassee
Trinity at Alabama Christian - Trinity
Elmore County at Holtville - Elmore County
Wisconsin at Alabama - Alabama
South Alabama at Auburn - Auburn
Memphis at Troy - Memphis
Georgia at Tennessee - Georgia
Florida at LSU - LSU
Texas A&M at Notre Dame - Notre Dame
Vanderbilt at South Carolina - South Carolina
Arkansas at Ole Miss - Ole Miss
South Florida at Miami - Miami
Clemson at Ga Tech - Clemson
Rick Hendrick (WXFS 95.1 The Fox/PA Montgomery Biscuits)
31-14 (11-4) .689
Smiths Station at Carver - Smiths Station
Pike Road at Wetumpka - Pike Road
BT Washington at Tallassee - Tallassee
Trinity at Alabama Christian - ACA
Elmore County at Holtville - Holtville
Wisconsin at Alabama - Alabama
South Alabama at Auburn - Auburn
Memphis at Troy - Troy
Georgia at Tennessee - Georgia
Florida at LSU - LSU
Texas A&M at Notre Dame - Notre Dame
Vanderbilt at South Carolina - South Carolina
Arkansas at Ole Miss - Ole Miss
South Florida at Miami - Miami
Clemson at Ga Tech - Clemson
Graham Dunn (River Region Sports/WTLS/Voice of Alabama State Hornets)
31-14 (10-5) .689
Smiths Station at Carver - Carver
Pike Road at Wetumpka - Pike Road
BT Washington at Tallassee - Tallassee
Trinity at Alabama Christian - Trinity
Elmore County at Holtville - Holtville
Wisconsin at Alabama - Alabama
South Alabama at Auburn - Auburn
Memphis at Troy - Troy
Georgia at Tennessee - Georgia
Florida at LSU - Florida
Texas A&M at Notre Dame - Notre Dame
Vanderbilt at South Carolina - South Carolina
Arkansas at Ole Miss - Ole Miss
South Florida at Miami - Miami
Clemson at Ga Tech - Clemson
Barry McKnight (Voice of Troy Trojans)
31-14 (11-4) .689
Smiths Station at Carver - Carver
Pike Road at Wetumpka - Wetumpka
BT Washington at Tallassee - Tallassee
Trinity at Alabama Christian - Trinity
Elmore County at Holtville - Elmore County
Wisconsin at Alabama - Alabama
South Alabama at Auburn - Auburn
Memphis at Troy - Troy
Georgia at Tennessee - Tennessee
Florida at LSU - LSU
Texas A&M at Notre Dame -Texas A&M
Vanderbilt at South Carolina - Vanderbilt
Arkansas at Ole Miss - Arkansas
South Florida at Miami - South Florida
Clemson at Ga Tech - Ga Tech
Mike Peacock (River Region Sports/ASU Hornets Radio-Color)
30-15 (9-6) .667
Smiths Station at Carver - Carver
Pike Road at Wetumpka - Pike Road
BT Washington at Tallassee - Tallassee
Trinity at Alabama Christian - Trinity
Elmore County at Holtville - Holtville
Wisconsin at Alabama - Alabama
South Alabama at Auburn - Auburn
Memphis at Troy - Troy
Georgia at Tennessee - Georgia
Florida at LSU - LSU
Texas A&M at Notre Dame - Texas A&M
Vanderbilt at South Carolina - South Carolina
Arkansas at Ole Miss - Ole Miss
South Florida at Miami - Miami
Clemson at Ga Tech - Clemson
Rosie Langello (Sports Director - WSFA Ch. 12)
25-20 (10-5) .555
Smiths Station at Carver - Carver
Pike Road at Wetumpka - Pike Road
BT Washington at Tallassee - Tallassee
Trinity at Alabama Christian - ACA
Elmore County at Holtville - Holtville
Wisconsin at Alabama - Alabama
South Alabama at Auburn - Auburn
Memphis at Troy - Memphis
Georgia at Tennessee - Georgia
Florida at LSU - LSU
Texas A&M at Notre Dame - Notre Dame
Vanderbilt at South Carolina - South Carolina
Arkansas at Ole Miss - Ole Miss
South Florida at Miami - Miami
Clemson at Ga Tech - Clemson
Lindsey Bonner (Sports Director - WAKA Ch. 8)
24-21 (8-7) .533
Smiths Station at Carver - Carver
Pike Road at Wetumpka - Pike Road
BT Washington at Tallassee - BT Washington
Trinity at Alabama Christian - Trinity
Elmore County at Holtville - Holtville
Wisconsin at Alabama - Alabama
South Alabama at Auburn - Auburn
Memphis at Troy - Troy
Georgia at Tennessee - Georgia
Florida at LSU - LSU
Texas A&M at Notre Dame - Texas A&M
Vanderbilt at South Carolina - South Carolina
Arkansas at Ole Miss - Ole Miss
South Florida at Miami - Miami
Clemson at Ga Tech - Clemson